Welcome back to the main Kitchen. Enter this Internationally recognized food art competition for professional chefs and kitchen artists, or view the Worlds best presentation of food through the eyes of the artistic chef. Discuss issues that are important to you and the future of professional cookery Keep up to date with industry Save time in research as we identify a number of websites which may assist you in your daily duties
     

Chef's Notices:

Chefs Associations

Culinary Competitions

Culinary Education

Mentor Program

Who is who

Industry Calendar (LTB)

Polls and your opinion

Black Hat History

The Chefs Uniform

 
 
 
 
 

Culinary competitions provide a setting for continuous improvement in culinary skills. They encourage networking and challenge the chef to achieve higher levels of competence. AND entering is fun. 
Unfortunately there are some chefs who do not consider culinary competitions to have any merit.
However they usually have unproven or untested reputations, or those not willing to take the risk and allow peer evaluation.
Its worth reading the comments from two renowned Australian Chefs in the chefs forum who identify reasons why chefs should enter culinary competitions, or at the very least encourage their staff to enter.

A sample of the best of the best culinary competitions. ( Further information on the following competitions is best sourced from Associations websites

 

We will be pleased to list details of your local Australian Culinary Competition - Email George

     

Bocuse d’Or :

   

The Bocuse d'Or established by Paul Bocuse in 1987 has become the most sought-after professional cookery competition for an outstanding individual young chef from around the world. The competition is held every two years in Lyon, France and national entry into the competition is only by personal invitation of Paul Bocuse.  Australian Representatives:

2011

2009

2007 Luke Croston

 2005 Scott Pickett

2003 George Calombaris

2001 Joe Vargetto

1999 Ross Howell

1997 Ross Howell

1995 Thomas Milligan

1993 Mark Shalles

1991 Tony Sandeburg

1989 John Plako

     
 Copper Skillet:    

Each year International Association of Conference Centers calls upon their global membership to participate in the Annual International "Copper Skillet Competition" to award the prestigious IACC "Chef of the Year". With over 400 world-wide IACC member properties, the competition brings together the best of chefs from the conference centre sector of hospitality industry. Australian Representatives:

2010

2009

2008 Nigel Stainwall   

2007 Sunil Pajnoo

 

 

Glen Erin Vineyard

MGSM Conference Centre's

2006 Brad Lobb

2005 Dean Duyvestyn

2004 Janine Harris

2008 Nigel Stainwall

Campaspe House

Deakin University

The Country Place

Glen Erin vineyard Retreat

 

Culinary Pro – AM:

 

 

Annual competition between Melbourne leading restaurant chefs, conducted as a joint initiative by the Academie De France,  The Australian Culinary Federation and Les Toques Blanches.

Culinary challenge:

 

Conducted in conjunction with local food services exhibitions and managed by the Australian Culinary Federation State Chapter

Daryl Cox:

 

 

Highly prestigious memorial Apprentice Culinary Competition conducted in Victoria established in 1986 in recognition and in memory of the services of former Executive Director of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Hotels Association, Mr. Daryl Cox.

Nestle Golden Chefs Hat Award:

 

Considered by the industry at large, to be the premier competition for trainee cooks in Australia. The  National competition is conducted from February to September across all states and aims to select the best team of two trainee  regional representatives to cook-off in a National Final. The competition is managed by the ACF and sponsored by Nestle Foodservices See Nestle Foodservices website

Vic Challenge:

 

 

A Tafe conducted competition that challenges Tafe students to compete for their Institute

Virtual Salon Culinaire

Web driven international professional culinary arts competition that concentrates on the visual experiences of commercial food presentation. 

WA Oceana Fest:

 

 

Highly regarded Western Australian culinary competition, organized on behalf of the Australian Culinary Federation of Western Australia

Worldskills:

 

 

National competition to select the representative for the International Work skill competition
 

History of Australian Culinary Olympics - National Senior Teams

Every four years the " Culinary Olympics " are conducted by the World Association of Cooks Societies. hundreds of chefs from around the World are selected to represent their country gather together to compete in the ultimate professional culinary competition. These records are incomplete. Send to George

2012 (National)

2008 (National)

2004 (National)

2000.(National)

 

 

(1 Gold, 2 B cold, 1 S)

 

   

Rick Stephen,

 No Teams sent

 

 

Glenn Austin,

 

 

 

Gary Farrell,

 

 

 

Peter Wright,

 

 

 

Ruth Klass,

 

 

 

Tim Smith,

 

 

 

Andrew Mann,

 

 

 

Neil Abrahams

 

1996 (National)

1992 (National)

1992 (Regional Vic)

1988 (National)

(3 Gold Cold - 1 S )

(Gold - Hot 2 S - 1 B)

(4 Gold - 5 Bronze)

(Gold Cold )

David Purslow,

Michael Strautmanis,

George Skaliotis

Tom Mc Connell

Burt Lozie,

Rick Stephen,

Thomas Barr

Keith McNeil

Adrian Tobin,

Quentin Underhill,

Matt McBain

Rick Stephen

Albert Stickney,

Graham Manvell,

Jean Hill (RIP)(3 Ind. Gold)

Nicholas Brida

Jodie Gentle,

Brendan Hill,

Tony Ryan

Robert DeCamo,

Karen Lewis-Underhill,

Armando Javellana

James Archer

Max Chong

 

 

1992 Australian Defence Force 

The combined Army Navy and Air force team led by  LT. Rick Burridge -  9 Gold 11 Silver 5 Bronze

G Baird, CR Evans, C.A. Whittaker, G.J. Altmann NC Kirk, M.O. Foenander, M.V .McAuliffe

R.J . Atkins, G.W. Harnett, J. Schinella, C.S. Robertson.

1984 (National)

1984 (Regional Vic)

1980 (National)

1968 (National)

 

 

(Gold - Hot -2S - 3B)

Unknown

Michael Strautmanis

Klaus Lemm (Manager)

Celso Galeazzi

Les Smith

Derrick Casey 

Manfred Hennig  Captain

Chris Redmond Captain

Frank De Koning

Hebert Klinkhammer

Rene Willen

Ernst Stuhler

Claudio Magris (RIP)

Ingo Schwatz

Kurt Frederiksen

Gary Cowled

Harry Kahn

George Hill

Dave Saunders

 

Raymond Tormey

Cyril Butler

History of Australian - Culinary Olympics - National Junior Teams

 

2012

2008

2004

2000

   

To be added

 No team sent

       
       
       
       
       

1996

1992

1988

1984 World Champs Gold

 To be added

Manager  Ernst Schwab

Manager  Manfred Hennig

Manager John Faye

 

Philip Edwards

Mark Davey

Bill Conway

 

Gina Spezza

Joe Ann-Wood

Mauro Molent

 

Jason King

John Casey

Scott Hopgood

 

Bradley Jenkins

Nicholas Wlyman

Quentin Underhill

 

Davin Chan

 

Thought for the day: There are only three kinds of cooks and chefs in any brigade, those who will always be “the chef” those who will always strive to be the chef, and those who should never have entered the kitchen.